Where things stand with Clemson, top recruit in the country

The nation’s top ranked prospect in the 2021 class, Corona, California defensive end Korey Foreman (6-foot-4, 260 pounds), has time on his hands this fall since they aren’t playing high schools games in California. So, the former Clemson commitment is checking out schools in his top five, even though there’s an NCAA mandated dead period in place. But top recruits are organizing their own social visits to some schools, and Foreman is part of that troupe.

Two weeks ago Foreman and his father flew to Atlanta and then drove over the Athens to visit Georgia again. There Foreman met up with his close friend, fellow five-star Maason Smith of Houma, Louisiana, and others in a gathering organized by quarterback commitment Brock Vandagriff.

“When I was at Georgia, it was a fun experience,” Foreman said. “I was with some guys, lot of commits. It was more me being around the the setting of everything along with my dad. I wasn’t able to check out any facilities or anything like that. I’d been to Georgia, so I know what the facilities look like except for the new weight room they are installing.”

Did the thought of making the 75 mile drive up I-85 for a quick visit to the Clemson campus cross his mind? Foreman chuckled and said, “I was talking to my dad about it, but we didn’t have enough gas money.”

But Foreman and his dad are coming back to the Southeast this weekend to visit LSU where he no doubt will reconnect with his pal Maason, and the two can continue their conversations about going to the same school. LSU and Georgia are on Foreman’s published short list along with Clemson, Southern Cal, Alabama, Howard and Oregon.

Clemson has taken commitments from other defensive ends for the 2021 class, but the Tigers haven’t cashed out in the Foreman sweepstakes, They may be taking the low key approach, but the desire to have him in the program is still there.

“Same ole same ole,” Foreman said. “I talk to to those coaches as much as I do any coaches probably. I try and spread the wealth as much as possible, but I’m busy with school. I try and balance things as much as possible.”

Clemson defensive ends coach Todd Bates has been, and continues to be. Clemson’s lead recruiter for Foreman. He did the hard sell job earlier, and he got the commitment. That approach no longer is necessary.

“It’s just more of, hey Korey, how’s your day. It’s not just the recruiting aspect,” Foreman said. “Those are the conversations I look for rather than just talking about how great so and so school is, or how better my school is compared to that school. Those are the conversations I’d rather fall away from. The conversations I’d rather talk more about is how and I’m doing and how is the family, things like that.”

“Clemson still has a place in my heart,” Foreman continued, adding that he’s not talked with Bates about the off-campus unofficial visit, but he’d like to take one there. “I don’t have a top five yet, but when I do, they still are in it. Nothing has changed.”

Foreman said he’s not sure when he’ll name a top five, and he’d like to take official visits to those five if and when the NCAA lifts the dead period. He will be an early signee.

Foreman said he is participating in a full pad training camp at a prep school he attended in the eighth grade since he has no high school season this fall.

Safety has interest

Clemson has built one of the nation’s top football recruiting classes for 2021, but there’s more work to be done. The Tigers have addressed most of their needs but have yet to pull in a commitment for the secondary. They know who they want as a safety and that’s Andrew Mukuba (5-foot-11, 181 pounds) of Austin, Texas. He is down to Clemson, LSU and Texas. and Clemson has made it clear to him how important he would be for their class.

“We talk a lot. They don’t really blow up like every other school does. Our relationship is understood, so they don’t have to call me every day, because they know how we roll,” Mukuba said. “They’ve been telling me I’m the only safety they are recruiting in this class, and they have dropped everybody. That’s an eye-opener for me. That’s what they’ve been telling me.”

Mukuba talks primarily with safeties coach Mickey Conn and defensive coordinator Brent Venables, with some Dabo Swinney mixed in. He has done a virtual tour with the staff which helps to make up for an actual visit to the campus he has yet to take.

“I feel like the coaches are keeping it real. The coaches are real. They’ve just been keeping it real with me ever since they started recruiting me,” Mukuba said. “When they say I’m the only safety they are recruiting, I’m going to believe that because there was word going around town that they turned down a couple of commitments just to focus on me. That’s real big on me. I feel great with Clemson. I feel comfortable with the coaching staff. I trust the coaching staff and what they’re doing and what they’ve been telling me this whole time.”

And that includes what he hears from Swinney when they talk.

“I’ve talked to Coach Swinney a couple of times,” Mukuba said. “He seems like a real great guy. Everything he preaches and says is God first with him. His faith in God is very big. Me talking to him, it just feels like I could be talking to my next head coach. He’s just a wonderful guy, wonderful coach. He does a lot for his players. I’ve talked to a couple of players, and he does a lot of his team and his players.”

While Clemson has made Mukuba the focus of their safety recruiting at this point, he said LSU is taking three and Texas has one committed and will take one more. That’s just another factor he has to consider as he works on his decision.

“It’s going to come down who I trust the most, where I feel comfortable the most, and where I see myself coming in and making an impact early on,” Mukuba said. “Basically, where I feel like I’m needed the most. Not just wanted, but needed the most.”

Texas, which is just 15 minutes from his home, is the only one of his finalists he’s had the chance to visit. The NCAA dead period has prevented visits since March, and that’s not made it easy for Mukuba to set an announcement date.

“No, I don’t sadly,” he said. “When they (the NCAA) officially announces that there are no visits at all, I’m not going to have a choice but to make a decision.” Ideally, he’d like to visit Clemson and LSU in person before making his decision.

Last season Mukuba had 26 tackles with two interceptions. He also plays receiver and caught 33 passes for 641 yards and 10 touchdowns. He’s rated as a four-star prospect in the 247Sports Composite and is ranked as the No. 12 safety nationally.